The Sound of Freedom

This past weekend the Cheeze's went to the local air show.  Now, Bubba is Army born and bred, but I love me some air show awesomeness.  Maybe it is because I am the daughter of a rocket scientist who owns the right to say "See that multi-billion dollar piece of flying amazingness?  I helped design that...yep, me."  F-4 Phantom - Check,  F-14, 15, & 16 - Check, F-22 Raptor - Check, Space Shuttle - Double Check.  Yep, that is my dad - super nerd, pocket protected, smarter than the average bear, rocket scientist.  Like I said in a previous post, brains skipped a generation in my family.  I have been going to air shows since I was a baby.  I love them.  Of course it is always nice to be with someone who knows that the lift to drag ratio on the Phantom wing tip is blah, blah, blah...ooops, I was listening, G-dad but what you just said went over my head right along with that Phantom.  Sorry...

Anywho, I have (forcibly coerced) converted Bubba and BoyBoy into air show groupies along with me and we headed to the flight line this weekend, excited to be able to witness the F-22 Raptor in all of its glory.  I also got to put my birthday present through its paces as well.  I turned a very large number of years old this weekend and Bubba gave me a new camera.  I took about 600 pictures and I plan to share each and every one with you...(Kidding)

Here are a few...awesomeness in the sky!

Thunderbirds:

Thunderbirds signature star burst

Heritage Flight 

(Vietnam, Gulf War, Modern Day)

F-22 Raptor

BoyBoy getting to shake the F-22 Raptor pilot's hand

(I was surprised he could even walk after the show he put on!!!)

Two Generation Rocket Scientist Pow Wow

(G-Dad and BoyBoy)

An Ode to Pollen

I don't know what it is with this memory of mine.

I forget what happens each year at this time.

The flowers start blooming, the trees they awaken.

The grass, it starts growing, if I'm not mistaken.

I love the new Spring, all the promise and beauty.

And then I get hit with a nose that's all snooty.

(I mean, snotty.)

I forget that there's pollen attached to those flowers.

That fine yellow haze that possesses superpowers.

Because no matter how many times that it rains,

Pollen is still there, it always remains.

Its on my car, my porch, my driveway, my trash can.

Its even on the shirt of my UPS delivery man.

(Brown, how I love thee.)

I sneeze and I sniffle.  I wipe and I dab.

I wash my clothes and my hands and my face and my flab.

Nothing will help me to combat this pest.

Not Flonase, not Claritin, not Benedryl, I protest!

The only relief from dear pollen, I fear,

Is to drown my red nose in a pitcher of beer!

Happy Birthday!!!

Happy Birthday, Nannie and 

Aunt S.!!!

I love you!

BTW, that is my mom and sister. 

 Yes, my sister was my mom's birthday present.  Just try and live up to that!!!  Therapy, here I come!

Jake

This week I have a house guest.  He is Melly's boyfriend, my sister's dog, Jake.  Jake is a beautiful, blonde Golden Retriever.  

Melly adores him.  They have great fun together.  

Jake is a special dog.  When you come home he greets you with a mournful moan, which we call his "woo-woo" and a ball, shoe, stuffed toy, or small child in his mouth.  He has to be the most orally fixated dog I have ever met.  Ball?  Where's the ball?  Did someone say ball?  I like a ball!  Would you throw the ball?  I like it when you throw the ball!  Did someone say ball?  Ball?  He has infinite optimism.  If you can't find him, look for the nearest door.  He is probably standing in front of it, waiting patiently for someone to open it to throw the ball.  At my sister's, he waits under the trampoline in her back yard because he kept getting hit in the head with the ball.  But not just one ball will do.  Like I said, Jake is special.  He needs two balls.  Both in his mouth.  At the same time.  He even poops with two balls in his mouth!  I've seen it...not pretty.

Jake is also big.  He doesn't have any idea how big he is.  You know those yippy dogs that think they are Rottweilers?  Jake is the opposite.  He thinks that he can fit in even the smallest spaces.  Lap dog?  Yep, that's me!  Here's my paw...ooops, did I knock you over?  Can I sit on your foot?  Sorry for smooshing your toes!  Oh, pardon me, I didn't know there wasn't room for me in the powder room with you!  Stairs?  I love stairs!  But they are way more fun when I run between your legs while we are going up and down!  

He also likes to be scratched and stretched and he is not ashamed to demand it.  He demands scratching by going nose first between your legs and then just standing there until you scratch his butt.  If you don't start scratching quickly enough, he will go around again.  And again.  And again.  Stretching?  He lays down (anywhere...he's not picky) with his front legs stretched out in front and his back legs sprawled out behind him.  This is his cue for you to grab him under his front legs and pull.  He will streeeeechhhh his whole body (which makes him about 8 feet long) and then smile. 

 

And that is why we love Jake.  His smile makes all his quirks worthwhile.  He is happy, obsessed, over sized, demanding, and lovable Jake.  

Cruisin'

Wow!  What a week we had!  Relaxing, enjoyable, hilarious at times, rewarding, memory making fun.  I can't possibly put into words the look on BoyBoy's face when we finally walked across the gang plank and onto the cruise ship.  He was awestruck, speechless and full of hugs for Bubba and me.  If he thanked us once, he thanked us a million times.  We couldn't wait to explore but first we had to stop for the first of many photo ops...

Great looking family, eh?

Of course, then there was the obligatory life boat drill (and the goofy photos that always go along with it!)

Oh, save me, Molly Brown!  (weak Titanic reference)

Then we were off.  Fun day at sea which involved eating too much, drinking too much, getting too much sun and watching all the psycho people fight over deck chairs.  If you have ever been on a cruise, you know what I am talking about.  Folks get up at the crack of dawn to claim their deck chairs for the day.  Then they guard them like a pack of pit bulls, daring anyone to move their 6 towels they have draped across their 8 chairs.  By the time the breakfast buffet has turned into the brunch buffet, all the chairs are claimed in some fashion and by the time the Cheeze family rolled their lazy butts out of bed and stumbled to the lunch buffet, most of those people were lobsters and needed to go inside.  So, the moral to this story is, the early bird gets the deck chair, but the sleepy head reaps the reward.  

Our first stop was to be Grand Cayman but due to waves, wind, or disgruntled fisherman, we were unable to drop anchor and stay.  Something to do with safety, blah, blah, blah.  Safety, shmafety...I want to snorkel!!!  Instead we were tortured by having to look at the entire island while the captain circled it so that we could go to the other side and emergency evacuate a passenger that had eaten too much at the midnight buffet or something.  Boohoo...but we got a refund of our port taxes and wisely invested it in BoyBoy's college fund (or something like that...(beer)).  So, instead, the boat headed to Cozumel for an early arrival.

Cozumel has always been Bubba's favorite and he was excited to show BoyBoy some of the sights.  We were scheduled for the Dolphin Trainer excursion but since we docked early we had time to see some of the local shops.  A mandatory Mexican beer and some chips and then we headed to play with the dolphins.  Let me just tell you...if you ever have the opportunity to experience these animals up close and personal, do it!  It is worth every peso!  The dolphins are the most gentle, sweet, intelligent, and amazing animals I have ever encountered.  We had our own 20 year old female and she was the sweetest thing.  BoyBoy giggled when she kissed him, first on the cheek and then on the lips.  Our trainer gave him kudos for getting bussed by an older woman.  We swam with her for more than an hour and she also gave us all rides.  What a wonderful day!

I think Bubba fell in love with Athena

Of course, I had to contribute to Stellan's Name Gallery

And then it was back to Tampa.  We had a great time and are already planning our next one...where should we go?

Oh, and here is a photo of the Cheeze's at formal night...we clean up pretty good, don't you think?

Adios!

Whew!

We are back, rested, and in need of a liver transplant and liposuction.  I am madly unpacking, doing laundry, and trying to get back to normal.  Since I have Melly's boyfriend this week because my sister is on spring break, things are not going to be back to normal until later.  I am posting one photo from the cruise to (make you jealous) tide you over until I can catch my breath and write a proper post.  

I'm Out...

Outta here, syanara, ciao, see ya, later tomater, peace!  I am off to sunnier places, fruity overpriced drinks, and enough food to feed a small country.  I will get too much sun, eat too much food, play too much Blackjack and drink too much wine (oh, wait...there is no such thing as too much wine!).  Be back in a week.  I will buy you all a tee shirt! (just kidding)  

Foto Friday Giveaway!!!

With highly sophisticated technology (me:  BoyBoy, pick a number between 1 and 15.  BoyBoy:  10!), I have chosen a winner!

The Winner Of The Blogiversary Giveaway is actually a "Nguyener"!!!

Amy Amy Bo Bamy, you have won the giveaway!!!  Send me an email with your address and I will send your goodies after I get back from the cruise!

Blogiversary!!! (or my Bachelor, Jason, Wii Fit, Lotus Focus, Lost, Dancing with the Stars, Twilight Post)

Today is my first Blogiversary!  I cannot believe that I have been doing this for a year.  I have devoted a year of my life to this baby and I appreciate all the love I have gotten in return.  I love you all, my sweet 23 (wait!  24!  woot!) little followers.  Thank you for giving me something to look forward to every day.  Your comments mean the world to me.  I can remember my very first comment and how titillating it was.  It took two months for that first hit and I was officially addicted.  Then, I just needed more...please, just one more comment?  I will pay you back with one on your site?!?  Please?!?  And so it began.  I found Jill and Georgie and Sue and Deb and Amy and Amy and Jen.  I did Secret Santa Soiree, because who doesn't love a good gift exchange, and from there found Lynda and Ali and Barb.  And so on, and so on, and so on...

So to honor all of my wonderful gals and guys, I am doing a Blogiversary Giveaway!  No complicated rules, just comment here and I will randomly pick someone to receive a basket of all of my favorite things.  It is a prize package worth...

??? Who Knows Because I Haven't Put It Together Yet!??? 

So, go ahead and comment.  If you want to tell your friends about my little giveaway, please do.  It will not get you anything extra except my undying love and devotion and maybe a snarky comment on your blog every now and then.  And, no, this is not an attempt to lure more people over to the Cheeze.  If I wanted to do that I would put words like "The Bachelor" and "Jason" or  "Wii Fit"and "Twilight" in my title.  And that would make me a comment whore and analytics junkie and I am neither of those things.  Not me.  No way.  

OK...get down there and comment and I will announce the winner next week!!  Good luck!!

Foto(s) Friday

Bye, bye pee-can tree!

Stellan

I was just getting ready to post about what a funk I am in and how unmotivated I am to post.  Wah, wah, wah...then I went over to my Google reader to rustle up some inspiration and was met with a whopping dose of reality.  

If you believe in God and feel compelled to do so, please pray for this family.  Their baby boy, Stellan is already a miracle among us, and he is now clinging to his life.  I have often been inspired by this mother's faith, entertained by her humor, and awed by her parenting.  Even though I have never met her and I am one small follower in her flock of 500+, I feel as though I know her and have grown to love her and her many charming kids.  I will be praying for Stellan tonight.  Hang in there MckMuffin...

Foto Friday

Happy First Day of Spring!

What the?

Awakened this morning by a 7 am phone call from the school system.  Two hour delay due to. . .

fog.

Yep, welcome to Virginia, folks.  Where we cancel school if they even forcast a 10% chance of snow and we sleep in if there is a wee bit of fog.  And, to add insult to injury, Wednesdays are always short days due to teacher planning time.  So, BoyBoy will go to school for an hour, eat lunch, and come home.  Whew!  What a grueling day for a young lad of 11.  He might need a nap when he gets home.

Meanwhile, Wheezer doesn't have enough time to workout and go to the tanning place (don't want my fellow cruise mates to fall overboard from my blinding white thighs!).  Shoot, there isn't even enough time to go to Old Navy for the third time this week.  Rats!  

There was time, however, to snuggle under the covers with BoyBoy and watch SpongeBob!  Don't say I don't enrich my child at home!

Luck o' the Irish to ye!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Wheezer + Bubba = BoyBoy

Bubba, BoyBoy and I had an interesting conversation over dinner a few nights ago.  I can't remember how we got on the subject but we began discussing which of BoyBoy's traits he had gotten from me and my side of the family and which he had gotten from Bubba and his side.  It was fun to banter back and forth...my eyes (brown), Bubba's lips (full and yummy), neither of our hair color (mine: blonde, Bubba's: dark brown, BoyBoy's: light brown).  Then, we started delving a little deeper.  Sense of humor:  both of us, dry wit:  Bubba, stubbornness:  both of us, tendency to cry at the drop of a hat:  mine.  BoyBoy liked very much that he was almost equal parts from both of us.  He also liked that there were many traits that he got from both of us.  Those are the ones that are strongest in him, like his sense of humor.  Also, his stubbornness, his anal retentiveness, his how can I make the world better-ness.  He got his overwhelming intelligence from my dad (that one obviously skips a generation!).  His ability to see whats wrong with a situation and attempt to make it right he got from Bubba's side.  His computer smarts from Bubba and my dad (again, generation skipper).  He is sensitive like me, acutely aware when someone is upset and quick to get his feelings hurt.  I truly believe that the genetic soup that Bubba and I stirred has set BoyBoy up for a great life.  He will have to choose which family traits to work on and nurture and which will need careful managing.  It is a scary thing to think that you have passed your bad traits on to your child.  You hope that you are able to show him the way that will make him the best person God wants him to be.  

Kind of daunting...but we are giving it our best shot.

A Garage Band in the Making...

Found this over at Linda's and thought it was fun...

My first album cover...after Simon Cowell discovers me and I take my act on the road!

Don't you want to know what your first album cover will look like?  

To create your very own album cover:

Click here and the first Wikipedia article is the name of your band

Click here and the last four or five words of the last quote on the page are the name of your album

Click here and the third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover

Photoshop/Foto Flex it all together

There you go!  You're Greek now! (lame reference to my favorite movie of all time)

Have fun!

Just Askin'

What is it about 80 degree weather in early March that makes people think it is OK to go outside dressed like this?

Or, this?

First of all, its March!  No one should wear shorts in March unless you live in one of those states where the temperature never dips below 70.  Just don't do it!  

Second of all, hasn't anyone ever heard of self-tanner?  There are some good ones out there these days that don't leave you looking like this: 

Or, God forbid, this:

And third, while I know that tattoos are in and hip and all that, as a woman, you should worship your body as a temple and only adorn it with dainty, demure, lady-like tattoos.  A pretty star, a small heart, maybe a sun and preferably in places that only you and a select few know about.  Don't go out in public with tattoos like these:

(although I would kill for her abs!)

OK, I am off my soapbox, now.  I am taking my pasty white legs and heading to get some of this:

I'll be in shorts in no time!  Woot!

Colonel Bubba

I promised you pictures and I am finally getting around to posting them.  Bubba's entire sibling population descended on Casa Cheeze last weekend and it was a fun, chaotic, entertaining, laugh fest.  Those kids really know how to have a good time!  On Friday, we all gathered to pin on Bubba's final rank in the Army.  We were all very proud of him and his accomplishments.  For me it was a little bittersweet.  I love the Army and all of it's pomp and circumstance and I will miss that part of it.  Knowing that this was the last time I would help to promote my husband made me proud but also a bit sad.  The Army has been the biggest part of our lives together from the beginning and we have weathered every curve ball it has sent our way.  Life after the Army will be sweet, for sure, but different.  

Anyhoo...sorry, I got a little sappy there.  Here are the pics:

Boyboy and I pinning on Bubba's rank (or in BoyBoy's case velcro-ing)

The Entire Clan

I am still waiting for more pics from the siblings and will post more then.  That is blog fodder in itself so I will be posting about that later.  

Foto Friday

I'm Done

Finished, over, stick a fork in me, done.  Not to mention angry, pissed, disappointed, incredulous.  I will never watch The Bachelor/ette again.  I took 5 pages of notes during the finale, and I am not even going to blog about that part.  The train wreck that was After the Final Rose just killed any love I had for Jason Mesnik.  No, I am not going to give him the benefit of the doubt.  He doesn't deserve it.  What he did last night was unforgivable and if he did it because ABC told him to, it makes him look even worse.  You don't break up with someone on national television and then not ten minutes later, make out on national television with someone else!  Every other Bachelor/ette in history has had the decency to give the relationship their best try and let them run their course out of the public eye.  What Jason did to Melissa was just wrong.  She showed a lot of class and tried to fight for the relationship that she thought they had.  She was blindsided and had every right to punch him in the face.  I wish she had.  And then Molly...the more I watched her, the more I hated what was happening.  I can't believe ABC thought this would make anyone look good.  Maybe they don't care if the contestants look good.  They are getting great press from all this and they are eating it up.  Already, Jason has been on Jimmy Kimmel and Good Morning America.  I won't be watching any of it.  I am done.  There is nothing they can say tonight on After the Final Rose 2 that will change my mind.  Even my beloved Jillian can't salvage this fiasco.  She should know better.  I can't believe she is willing to put herself through this circus.  What will the ABC producers get her to do?  Get pregnant?  Then the After the Final Rose show can be the paternity test.  Which of the bachelors is the daddy?  This show has officially broken my spirit.  Reality Steve, I take back every terrible thing I ever said about you.  You were right.